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Posted: 2/13/2012 3:31:09 AM EDT
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I just ordered the ACR and Im finding mixed answers on bullet weight choice and even people saying the rifle has been tested as having a 1/8 barrel as opposed to the advertised 1/9. So what bullet weight /powder have been shown to do well out of the ACR? I have about 1000 75gr Hornady HTBT Match bullets and 600 53gr V-Max and maybe some bulk 62gr fmj but if something has been shown to work out better Id like to get that. I dont have as much range time since I moved so Id like to start from whats known to do well.
Thanks in advance Dustin |
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Just look at loads people are using in 1:9 ARs. Where would I find that? Also I asked specifically about the ACR because some people are saying that the barrel has been tested as 1:8. So since Im not confident about the twist I asked for personal experiences. |
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Just look at loads people are using in 1:9 ARs. Where would I find that? Also I asked specifically about the ACR because some people are saying that the barrel has been tested as 1:8. So since Im not confident about the twist I asked for personal experiences. Not to be a dick, but can you not find what barrel ratio the ACR has? I would say find a round that has good results from a 1:7-1:9 and go with it. |
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Just look at loads people are using in 1:9 ARs. Where would I find that? Also I asked specifically about the ACR because some people are saying that the barrel has been tested as 1:8. So since Im not confident about the twist I asked for personal experiences. Not to be a dick, but can you not find what barrel ratio the ACR has? I would say find a round that has good results from a 1:7-1:9 and go with it. well I just said that the issue is its been advertised as 1:9 but some people are are claiming theyve tested it at 1:8. Also Im broke and in a hurry so Im looking for suggestions that have worked for others. So when you say "I would say find a round that has good results from a 1:7-1:9 and go with it", that would be the point of this thread. I just want some suggestions that others have had good results with. |
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You didn't say what these loads were for, but I'll try to help. 52 SMKs shoot great in both. Really anything from the 69 SMK and under is fine in both. I've had excellent results from both Sierra and Nosler bullets. The 1:8 also shoots 77 SMKs quite well. The 1:9, not so much. I like IMR 8208, Varget and Rx15 for great accuracy. As far as heavier hunting type bullets, the best shooting bullet I have tried in any AR is the 65 SGK. It shoots really good in both my ARs. I'm sure others are great also, but I haven't found the time to try them all, yet.
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Now that you want to know about what shoots good in 1 in 9 twists, I will post an answer. 69 gr and lighter will work fine. Sierra 52 gr MK and Sierra 69 gr MK shoot the best in my home built AR. 60 gr Sierra HP is another good bullet, and for a cheap not quite match grade bullet, the Hornady 55 gr soft point is a favorite of mine. Tac for bulk loads, for the finest accuracy I use Re-15, IMR-8208 XBR, and the new CFE 223. So pretty much an echo of Scott_R's post.
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You didn't say what these loads were for, but I'll try to help. 52 SMKs shoot great in both. Really anything from the 69 SMK and under is fine in both. I've had excellent results from both Sierra and Nosler bullets. The 1:8 also shoots 77 SMKs quite well. The 1:9, not so much. I like IMR 8208, Varget and Rx15 for great accuracy. As far as heavier hunting type bullets, the best shooting bullet I have tried in any AR is the 65 SGK. It shoots really good in both my ARs. I'm sure others are great also, but I haven't found the time to try them all, yet. Im sorry, Im using it for multi gun competitions. For hunting PDs and Coyotes I was ganna work up a load with Hornady 53gr V-max, for deer I havnt decided yet since I dont know how heavy I can go with this barrel. But for competition Ive only got a couple weeks so I need something to start with. Quoted:
Now that you want to know about what shoots good in 1 in 9 twists, I will post an answer. 69 gr and lighter will work fine. Sierra 52 gr MK and Sierra 69 gr MK shoot the best in my home built AR. 60 gr Sierra HP is another good bullet, and for a cheap not quite match grade bullet, the Hornady 55 gr soft point is a favorite of mine. Tac for bulk loads, for the finest accuracy I use Re-15, IMR-8208 XBR, and the new CFE 223. So pretty much an echo of Scott_R's post. No offence but I asked about the barrels twist rate in every post. I actually just cut and paste and reordered the same thing in each post, so there's no new info in any of them. "Im finding mixed answers on bullet weight choice and even people saying the rifle has been tested as having a 1/8 barrel as opposed to the advertised 1/9." "I asked specifically about the ACR because some people are saying that the barrel has been tested as 1:8." "I just said that the issue is its been advertised as 1:9 but some people are are claiming theyve tested it at 1:8." But thank you for responding. For powder I currently have H335 and Varget, how well do those powders work with the 69 gr and 52 gr MKs. Is there one you prefer? How would they compare to the Hornady 68gr HPBT match bullets? |
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For competition, to be safe (not knowing the twist rate), I'd start with the 69 SMK or Nosler CC. If you find out it is a 1:8, then you can switch to the 77. I've never tried the Hornady 68 HPBT. I hear less good about it than either the Sierra, or Nosler. Although I've gotten great results with Varget, and have some on the shelf, it wouldn't be my first choice due to the difficulty in metering. If it were me, I'd buy some IMR8208XBR or Rx15 or maybe the CFE 223 that dryflash mentioned. I use H335 for bulk stuff. Good luck. In for the range report. |
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For competition, to be safe (not knowing the twist rate), I'd start with the 69 SMK or Nosler CC. If you find out it is a 1:8, then you can switch to the 77. I've never tried the Hornady 68 HPBT. I hear less good about it than either the Sierra, or Nosler. Although I've gotten great results with Varget, and have some on the shelf, it wouldn't be my first choice due to the difficulty in metering. If it were me, I'd buy some IMR8208XBR or Rx15 or maybe the CFE 223 that dryflash mentioned. I use H335 for bulk stuff. Good luck. In for the range report. I havnt been able to find any of the powders listed but I have been wanting to try thr R 15 because Ive heard alot of good things. The Varget does meter pretty bad but that and the H335 are all I can find. I just moved so there might be a place around here with something different, I just have to find a place that sells reloading stuff. I don't understand how it can be advertised as a 1:9, but tested as a 1:8. Did Bushmaster not know what they were putting out?
You've got me. Its just what Ive found while researching the rifle. |
| My 1/9 Bushmaster measures 1/8.8. So we round up to 1/9 when stamping the barrel. Another barrel I have is stamped 1/7 but measures 1/7.7 and about the best barrel available to us peasants as aftermarket. I suspect who ever was measuring the twist had only counted 8 turns when the mark was reached and didn't bother with adding the .8 that had been reached. For the use you gave, I would try a 65gr Sierra with IMR-8208 powder. |
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My 1/9 Bushmaster measures 1/8.8. So we round up to 1/9 when stamping the barrel. Another barrel I have is stamped 1/7 but measures 1/7.7 and about the best barrel available to us peasants as aftermarket. I suspect who ever was measuring the twist had only counted 8 turns when the mark was reached and didn't bother with adding the .8 that had been reached. For the use you gave, I would try a 65gr Sierra with IMR-8208 powder. Thanks thats good to know. since I dont have access to that powder as of yet how will that round work with either Varget or H335? |
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http://www.accurateshooter.com/technical-articles/gunsmithing/how-to-determine-barrel-twist-rate/
Use that method to find your barrel twist, after you get it. |
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I reload for my ACR....
I haven't gotten to shoot it a ton, but it stabilizes, and shoots the 77 SMK & the 75 HRNDY HPBT pretty good with 24.1 grains of Varget at 2.26" COAL. I found that it would not cycle worth a crap when shooting 55 grain BlitzKings + H335 until I got over 24.5 grains. 25 grains cycled 100%. I've been focused on reloading for my 6.8 hunting rifle lately, and haven't had a chance to really dial in the loads for the ACR from an accuracy standpoint, sorry to not be much more help. -ZA |
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I reload for my ACR.... I haven't gotten to shoot it a ton, but it stabilizes, and shoots the 77 SMK & the 75 HRNDY HPBT pretty good with 24.1 grains of Varget at 2.26" COAL. I found that it would not cycle worth a crap when shooting 55 grain BlitzKings + H335 until I got over 24.5 grains. 25 grains cycled 100%. I've been focused on reloading for my 6.8 hunting rifle lately, and haven't had a chance to really dial in the loads for the ACR from an accuracy standpoint, sorry to not be much more help. -ZA What size groups were you getting with the 75 HRNDY HPBT? Have you tested any lighter (65-69gr) loads? |
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Can't tell you. I was shooting at steel plates at about 150-200 yards out, not shooting groups that day.
The 75's and the 77's were hitting in about the same spots, and hammering the steel. -ZA Quoted:
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I reload for my ACR.... I haven't gotten to shoot it a ton, but it stabilizes, and shoots the 77 SMK & the 75 HRNDY HPBT pretty good with 24.1 grains of Varget at 2.26" COAL. I found that it would not cycle worth a crap when shooting 55 grain BlitzKings + H335 until I got over 24.5 grains. 25 grains cycled 100%. I've been focused on reloading for my 6.8 hunting rifle lately, and haven't had a chance to really dial in the loads for the ACR from an accuracy standpoint, sorry to not be much more help. -ZA What size groups were you getting with the 75 HRNDY HPBT? Have you tested any lighter (65-69gr) loads? |
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